Wednesday, April 12, 2006

[Tags: web design, new media]. "Disney is to make hit shows such as Lost and Desperate Housewives available for free on the internet as part of an advertiser-funded trial," reports the Guardian. "In another move to expand its appeal on the web, Disney is also launching an online soap channel, Soapnetic, for Verizon internet subscribers"

Meanwhile, the Online Publishers Association newsletter reports:

"Online video explosion takes on TV upfronts

"Watching video online used to be an oddity, with flickering postage-sized images that gurgled and froze. Fast-forward to 2006 with the online video revolution in full swing, and Netizens are making it a regular part of their online life (see research item below). With the growth in viewership has also come a booming demand for adinventory on online videos. AdAge has run multiple stories on the push for a"digital upfront" this spring, as well as a change in mindset by advertisers andagencies who consider the television just one of many venues for video ads.American Express calls the category "rolling video stock" while MediaVestreorganized its buyers as "video investment and activation units," AdAgereported. "Broadcast is not dying; broadcast still works," MediaVest's DonnaSpeciale said. "But we have to follow the consumer to where he or she is gettingcontent and that means being video-neutral."